National Affairs: A Fighting Clause

At 7:57 one night last week, after 76 hours of debate, the Senate passed
the Burke-Wadsworth Compulsory Military Training Bill, 58 to 31. The
Senate had approved peacetime conscription, but the bill provided the
biggest burst of fireworks in 1940's Presidential campaign. Morning of
the final day, Georgia's smooth-faced Senator Russell popped up with an
amendment jointly sponsored by Lousiana's Senator Overton, ardent New
Dealer and onetime Huey Long ally: ". . . Whenever the Secretary
of War or the Secretary of the Navy determines that any existing
manufacturing plant or facility...